


The Hot Dog Cart

by Robin Hood (kjack89)



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Developing Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-18
Updated: 2019-10-18
Packaged: 2020-12-23 16:49:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21084620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kjack89/pseuds/Robin%20Hood
Summary: It started, as these things often do, as an accident.As these things also often do, it turned into a habit.





	The Hot Dog Cart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [piepeloe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/piepeloe/gifts).

> For piepeloe, who could use some cheering up today in the form of work crush fluff.
> 
> Usual disclaimer. Please be kind and tip your fanfic writers in the form of comments and/or kudos!

It started, as these things often do, as an accident.**  
**

As these things also often do, it turned into a habit.

Barba had little rituals he liked to do before a trial, and one of those included popping down to the cart on the street and getting himself a hot dog. Sure, his cardiologist probably wasn’t thrilled by the routine, and yeah, he got some strange looks when he got a hot dog at 8:30 in the morning when he had a 9am start time, but honestly, in a bizarre way, it helped center him.

It was one of those 8:30 times when he had just gotten his hot dog when he turned around and almost ran smack into Carisi, who, despite having only been at SVU for all of three weeks at this point, looked exhausted. “Oh, hey,” Carisi said, before saying over Barba’s shoulder, “Can I get two hot dogs with mustard and relish? Thanks.”

“A little early in the morning for that, don’t you think?” Barba asked, amused, and not just because of the hypocrisy when he was holding a hot dog of his own.

“Long night,” Carisi told him. “Besides, I’m a stress eater.”

Barba nodded. “I’m a stress drinker, but that tends to be less well-tolerated at work,” he offered mildly.

Carisi snorted. “Bottle of scotch in your desk would say otherwise.”

Barba laughed. “Fair enough.” He glanced at Carisi just in time to watch the man shove half of one hot dog in his mouth in one go. “Do you intend on chewing that, or?”

“Sorry,” Carisi said through the mouthful of hot dog, and Barba wrinkled his nose. Carisi swallowed and repeated, “Sorry. I’d take my time, but court starts in twenty, so you should probably be doing the same.”

He nodded towards the hot dog in Barba’s hand. “I’ve got time,” Barba said, unconcerned, ignoring the small noise of disagreement Carisi made. “Dare I ask what you’re stressed about?”

Carisi gave him a look. “You eat, I’ll talk,” he said, and Barba rolled his eyes but obediently took a bite of his hot dog. “It’s just this case. I really want this trial to go well today.”

Barba frowned. “You’re not set to testify—” he started, and Carisi shook his head.

“No, I know. But, uh, I was there when patrol brought those kids in. And I — I dunno. I just really want this to be as over for them as it can be.”

Barba looked at him carefully. “You really mean that, don’t you?”

Carisi’s brow furrowed. “Of course I do,” he said, sounding surprised. “Why wouldn’t I?”

Barba thought of the great many cops he’d worked with throughout his career, and the great many who would not have given any further thought to a case they weren’t even officially involved with, and decided, based on the look on Carisi’s face, that it wasn’t worth bringing up.

“No reason,” he said instead, before finishing his hot dog. “I’ll see you in there.”

“Sure thing, Counselor,” Carisi said easily, and Barba shook his head as he headed up the courthouse steps. Maybe Carisi deserved more credit than he’d been willing to give him.

* * *

After that initial chance meeting, it became far more frequent, mostly because Carisi had caught on to Barba’s little ritual and knew that he’d always find him there, generally when he wanted something or sometimes when Barba was fairly certain he just wanted to be a nuisance.

But he couldn’t deny the little thrill in his chest when he saw Carisi waiting for him, hot dog in hand. On the days when Carisi couldn’t meet him there, since he did actually apparently have to work, he never felt like he did quite as well in court.

Some weeks, the only time he saw Carisi was for those few minutes at the hot dog cart.

Some weeks, the only thing he had to look forward to was Carisi at the hot dog cart.

On one of the days that Carisi wasn’t there, the gentleman who owned the cart asked casually, “Your boyfriend busy today?”

For one moment, Barba thought about correcting him. 

He decided against it.

“Yeah,” he said instead. “Busy. Or so he claims.”

The man laughed. “I get that,” he said. “As my wife could probably tell you.”

Barba chuckled, and the warmth he felt stayed with him for days afterward.

When Carisi finally was free to join him next, the proprietor winked at Barba before telling Carisi gruffly, “Nice of you to join us.”

Carisi looked confused. “What was that about?” he asked Barba in an undertone when they left, hot dogs in hand.

Barba just shook his head. “Absolutely nothing,” he said, before taking a bite of his hot dog.

* * *

Maybe Barba should’ve done something about it earlier.

Maybe he should’ve taken a chance sooner.

Maybe he should’ve realized what all of this meant.

And when he left the DA’s office, he wondered if he had blown any chance he might once have had. He knew leaving was the right thing to do, but a very small part of him wondered if the only thing he’d ever have left of Carisi was the memory of four years’ worth of those little moments together at a hot dog cart.

He knew it wouldn’t be enough.

And so, his mind as made up about that as anything else, he resolved that he wouldn’t let it be.

* * *

Carisi scrubbed a hand across his face as he took the stairs down from the courthouse two at a time, making a beeline for the hot dog cart. “Two hot dogs,” he said, too tired to make small talk. “Mustard and relish.”

“Counselor.”

Carisi turned, a smile already erasing half the exhaustion from his face. “Didn’t think I’d see you here,” he said as Barba joined him.

“I figured this is one tradition you’d want to keep,” Barba said. “You ready for this?”

“It’s just an arraignment—” Carisi started, but Barba shook his head.

“It’s not just anything.”

Carisi nodded slowly. “You’re right,” he said.

Barba smirked. “I usually am.” He looked up at Carisi. “So. Are you ready?”

“As ready as I’m gonna be,” Carisi said with a sigh.

“You’ve got this,” Barba told him. “I know you do.” Carisi gave him a slightly reassured smile, and Barba added, “And if you fuck it up and embarrass me, you’re sleeping on the couch.”

Carisi laughed and leaned in to kiss him lightly. “Deal,” he said. He glanced down at his hot dog and sighed. “Well, I better eat this and get back up there.”

“We’ve got time,” Barba told him, and Carisi smiled again.

They did. All the time in the world.


End file.
